


Nearer to the Stars

by Tabithian



Series: Through the Looking Glass [4]
Category: Batman (Comics), DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-24
Updated: 2015-08-24
Packaged: 2018-04-16 23:56:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4644774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tabithian/pseuds/Tabithian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Why exactly do you need chloroform at 2AM?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nearer to the Stars

**Author's Note:**

> It's been a long day and there was [this post](http://tabithian.tumblr.com/post/126696742224/aus), so. Yes. :D

Tim stares up at the guy – his neighbor at the end of the hall, if he remembers correctly - and the frantic look on his face.

Yawns wide enough his jaw pops, and leans against the door frame. 

“Why exactly do you need chloroform at 2AM?” 

There's the sound of a door slamming somewhere down the hall and the guy flinches, looks over his shoulder for a brief moment. Lurches forward, grabbing Tim by the front of his shirt and shakes him.

“Life or death matter,” he says, plasters on a horrible attempt at a smile as he -

He's pushing Tim back into his apartment by small degrees, like he thinks Tim won't notice.

“And don't worry, I won't need your help hiding the body, I've got that one covered.”

Tim stares.

His neighbor stares back, little bit of a frown forming as the seconds tick by.

“Okay, let's try this, then,” Tim says, fingers wrapping around the doorjamb and plants his feet to keep from being moved. “What makes you think I have chloroform at all?”

Tim's neighbor frowns at him, like Tim is being unreasonable.

“The glasses?” 

What.

“I mean, they're like. Fantastic glasses, perfect for your face and everything.”

Tim squints at his neighbor, not quite sure if he's being mocked, or if the guy is just terrible at this. Whatever he's doing.

“...And?”

“The lab coat?”

That.

“It was Halloween,” Tim says slowly. “I went to the party at my workplace.”

Tim's neighbor looks. 

Baffled, is a good way to put it. Dismayed might be better.

He's stopped trying to push Tim into his apartment, looking to hide there from the looks of it.

There's a shout, closer than the slamming door, and -

“You know,” Tim says, prying the man's fingers off his shirt. “I'm a police officer.”

Tim's neighbor freezes.

Tim grins, lets it slide all nice and easy into a little smirk as he unhooks his neighbor's thumbs from his shirt and lets go of him.

The sound of running feet, an overjoyed shout, and a dark blur as someone uses a flying tackle on Tim's neighbor that sounds painful.

Tim leans out of his apartment, watches for a moment to make sure they're aren't any injuries – or, well. Any serious enough to call for an ambulance.

Sees the dark blur is actually a man who is vaguely familiar and apparently hugging the life out of Tim's neighbor. Tim's neighbor is glaring and growling out threats Tim probably shouldn't be hearing as he struggles to get free.

Tim snorts, ignores his neighbor's silent plea for help when their eyes meet for a brief moment in between threats, and goes back inside his apartment.

********

There's a knock at Tim's door, far different form the one the night before. 

A pause.

“Hey, look,” Tim's neighbor says, sheepish sounding. “I wanted to apologize for, you know, coming off as a crazed potential murderer last night. I wasn't at my best.”

Tim frowns, gets off his couch and picks his way carefully to his door, opens it a crack to see his neighbor standing there, arms crossed across his chest and an angry kind of frown on his face.

“Really,” Tim says. “I hadn't noticed.”

His neighbor's eyes snap up at at that, and the frown goes from having an angry tint to it to one of mild hurt when he realizes Tim hasn't undone the chain lock.

“I'm actually not a murderer?”

Tim laughs, quiet, says, “Maybe try saying that without making it a question? It'll hold more weight if you do.”

Tim's neighbor blinks, and the look on his face when he realizes Tim is actually teasing him -

“Oh my God,” he says, crooked smile on his face. “You're an asshole.”

And he looks _delighted_. Like that's the best thing he's heard all day.

He manages to get his face under control, _looks_ at Tim. (Then looks Tim up and down, something appreciative to it when his eyes meet Tim's.)

“Also, hey, you know. Welcome to the building?”

Tim moved in five months ago, work keeping him from getting to know his neighbors.

Looking at this one, he really doesn't know if that was a good thing.

“Thank you,” Tim says. Can't help but say, “I think I'm going to like it here, it's ever so peaceful at night. Quiet.”

********

The next night Tim hears his neighbor yelling at someone followed by slamming doors and the same desperate barrage of knocks on his door from that first night.

“For the love of God, let me in!”

Tim goes to open the door, but there's a heavy thump against it, a snarled, _“I'm going to fucking kill you, you bastard!”_ and Tim.

Tim sighs, raps his knuckles against his door and says, stern, “Keep it down, or I'll have to call the police.”

Smirks at his neighbor's, _”You are the police, you asshole!”_ , and heads off back to bed.

********

This goes on for a while, and Tim would ask, he would, but.

There are times when he knows better than to ask, and this seems to be turning out to be one of those times.

********

Almost like clockwork, there's a knock at his door, a mumbled apology and Tim - 

“Hey,” Tim's neighbor says, when Tim opens the door. 

_Smiles_.

“Sorry about last night, it's just.” Tim's neighbor shrugs, throws his hands up. “That jackass, you know? So damn frustrating.”

Tim glances behind him, everything's quiet, and opens the door wide enough to slip through. Leaves the door cracked, and looks back at his neighbor.

“Sorry,” he says, tips his head back towards hi apartment. “I have a guest over.”

There's a beat, a pause, and then - 

“Oh,” Tim's neighbor says.

Tim doesn't miss the way his neighbor's smile dims at at that, flicker of emotion across his face too quick to read.

“Ha, yeah, okay. I guess I'll leave you to it then, I didn't mean to interrupt anything.”

Tim frowns, because. 

“What?”

And now his neighbor is frowning too - 

“Your guest?” Tim's neighbor asks, an edge to it.

Tim - 

Tim actually looks forward to these strange little hallway conversations of theirs. Had thought _maybe_ , because his neighbor is unfairly attractive, and Tim is.

He's not _lonely_ , no, but. 

Tim's neighbor's fake smile is starting to crumble, little hints of hurt and confusion starting to show and -

“Wait,” Tim says. “What kind of guest do you think I have?”

Tim's neighbor turns that glare of his on Tim, and Tim - 

Tim straightens at the sound of running feet behind him, barely has time to brace himself before the door is yanked open and a weight launches itself at his legs.

He still stumbles forwards, hand thrown up in front of him and jolts to a stop, hands on his neighbor's shoulders.

“Uncle Tim!”

Tim winces at the high-pitched yell.

“Indoor voice, Lian,” Tim says, smiling in spite of himself as he looks down at the limpet attached to his legs.

He leaves his hands where they are because he wouldn't want to fall, now would he, and potentially risk hurting Lian in the process.

No, that would be terrible.

Lian makes a face. “Sorry, Uncle Tim.”

Apology made, she looks around Tim to his neighbor and wrinkles her nose. “Who's he?”

Tim smiles, look at his neighbor and says, “You know, I never got his name.”

Which.

It should be odd, given how many times they've talked to one another. Little bits of their lives they've shared with one another. Such as the fact Tim's neighbor is constantly fending off his older brother when he's in town who is a certain kind of crazy. That his neighbor knows Tim's partner is just. All kinds of aggravating, but has a daughter who is an absolute angel that Tim and everyone at the station adores like mad.

Tim can see his neighbor putting the pieces together.

“Jason,” Tim's neighbor says to Lian. His eyes flick up to Tim's, smile curving his lips. “I'm Jason.”


End file.
